Outlet-box support.



; A WEVER TLE BSK SPPOH,

APM-mmm: man JULY a. m11.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

im v TQ VVITNESSES ATTO R N E f NUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

' JOHN A. wEvEE, 'oF nALTIMonE, MARYLAND.

OUTLET-:B0X` SUPPORT.

I Speciction of Letters Patent.

Application led July 3, 1917. Serial No. 178,459.

This invention relates to means for supporting lighting ixtures and is especially designed for use in connection with -the installation' of electric lighting iixtures in houses already completed.

The primaryobject of the invention is to provlde means for supporting an outlet box to which lighting fixtures of any weight may be'secured, without the necessity of removing'any part of the flooring of the room i' above, thereby preventing mutilation or damage of the same, as is usually the case 4when the saidlixtures are supported from the ordinary wooden supporting block.

Another object is to provide means for the insertion of the fixture supporting means between the ceiling and the Hoor of the room above with the removal of the least possible amount of plaster, themethod `of inserting the said fixture supporting sto means permitting of its insertion through the lath spaces and proper positioning thereof for connection with the lighting ,l iixture.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention contemplates the provision of a metal attaching and supporting bar, which is adapted tofbe positioned so as to light across and bridge a plurality of laths, the. -bar engaging a suiicient number of laths to enablev it to support a lixture of great weight, the manner of positioning the bar and of attaching the outlet box, serving to keep the saidbar in roper position without any additional ho ding means.

The invention further contemplates novel means of placing the bar in position upon the laths and includes the provision of a holding and guiding w01, by means of which the bar may b e inserted betweenthe i l l lath spaces and guided to its proper posi- .tion .for engagement with the outlet box, -the said bar having attached thereto a iiexible element for moving it to the position'.

-In the drawings, Figure 1- is a perspective v1ew -of a fixture supporting bar embodying the present desired Fig. 5 is a similar view of the holding and. guiding tool.

Fig. '6 is a similar view of the outlet box.

Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view through the outlet b ox illustrating the manner of engaging the threaded bolt therewith.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through a portion of the ceiling showing the-'outlet box connected to the supporting bar.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modied form of bar.

Fig. 10`is a detail sectional View on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

In the installation of electric lixtures in housesv already completed, it is some times customary to project`the fixtures through the laths by mea-ns of screws fastened through the outlet box. This is a very unsatisfactory method, as it will not support fixtures of any weight.

"In order to support heavy fixtures it is customary to secure between the ceiling laths and the floor of the room above al wooden supporting block, but this method necessitates the removal of a portion of the lioor, thereby injuring and ruining the appearance of the same,

Patented Apr. 16, 1918. i

In order to overcome these and other objects and disadvantages, there isY provided the following described invention, which consists of a metal supporting bar 10 of-rectangular cross-sectiom and of a. length sufiicient to overlie preferably six laths. This supporting bar is adapted to be placed upon and brid e the laths so yas to support the weight o the electric lighting fixture, the said iixture being secured-to the usual outlet box 11 in the. ordinary manner.

The outletbox as stated, is of the usual construction, being provided with a central aperture 12. In the present instance this aperture is closed by means of la plate 13, in

which is formed a central screw receiving.

Cil

ffm Diga ln addition to providing` the above described means for supporting' a nxt-i the 7 invention contemplates a novel means tor positioning, the. said supporting means within the ceiling without in any way mutilating` the plaster or laths, so that the fixture may be positioned without dama-goto the appearance of the room.,

lilith this end in vieu', there is provided a holding and guiding tool l?, one end of which is approximately at right angles as shown at i8 and is formen with a reduced `\`-.'-shaped extremity 19. This extremity lf) is provided i'or engagement with a J -shaped slot 2O formed'in one end of the supporting bar l0, the said slot extending transversely through the bar, but terminating short ot the opposite edge thereof. rllhe opposite end of the tool l? is enlarged as shown at 2l and is provided vith an opening- 22, through which the bar lO may be guided, When the tool is in propr-f' position, the enlarged ena .ll oi the tool l formed with a slot to provide an. entrance into the opening of. this slot being ol a sutlicient Width to permit the passage ot the bar l0 therethrough,

'if his method ot holdine the su )oortin i' 2D .L J

-bar by means ot the guidingtool li" provides a positive connec'ion between trie bar and tool, 'the weight or" the bar preventing any acci l disengafceinent between these 'tivo sections, by providing a binding connection therehetueenc fits soon as the bar rests upon the laths or ceiling', Weight is relet Ted and the tool 1'? readily disen .fred i the lf-shapecl slot in the end ot 'the bar. I rlhe supporting ronden lo, the aperture 24. being protv attachment oi a flexible element Q5, in the torni of a tine Wire or string.

In positioning` the ban a small portion ot the plaster 26 of the ceiling;- is cut away to provide an opening Q7, and the tool is engaged with the slot Q0 and inserted vertically through the opening and between the laths as shown in lilig'. l oi' ie drawings, the llexible elements being attached thereto. After iiassing through t'ic space between the laths, the bar l() is laid horizontally across the same as shown in Fig. Q of the drawings, the tool 17 being moved later- -ally of the bar and longitudinally of the laths for a slight distance to disengage the f lthe tool, through which it is guided and moved. until the opening 1G is directly above the space between the laths, through which the tool has been inserted. The tool may then be disengaged from the bar by moving said tool laterally so that the passage 23 ot the tool passes, across the bar, the tool then being` .vithdrawn through 'the lath space. The outlet hox'is then secured to the bar l0 inthe manner previously described.

rl`he flexible element 25, ywhich is attached to the bar, is not only useful for positioning the bar in a` manner to permit connecting of the outlet box, but also provides a means for holding the bar in position while engaging the bolt carried by the outlet box. This use of the flexible element 25 is important, because without some moans for holding the bar uit would be a dillicult task to engage the bolt, especially when there are a number-ot wires at the outlet to contend with.

lVhen the device used to support the standard type of outlet boxfor wires, all oll the knockout holes tor the passage oi the said wires into the box are lett unobstructed, with. the exception or' two, over which the supporting,` bar lies when properly posi- 100 tioned Within the ceiling.

ln the modilication shown in Figs. 9 and l() ot the drawings,.the bar l0 is preferably enlarged as shown at l0" at a point approximately central of its length, and provided 105 with a preferably i ctangular opening 30, in which there is pivotally m `inted a nut 3l. the threaded ojgjieoing ot this nut beingv adapted to receive the end of the screw l5 of the outletV box. The nut 31 is pivoted 110 within the openine i530 by means ol" opponut This ci ruction provides for arrangingtlie supportinfr bar at an angle for the accommodation or furring strips, the mounting of the nut permittingr of the proper positioning` of the lighting fixtures.

lt will thus be seen that the invention provides means for supporting anoutlet box of any standard type, either with or without a fxture stead. By the use of the invention, the operation ol installation and positioning the outlet box on either a metal luth or woodlath ceiling', .in a linished house, can `125 be accomplished with a fraction of the labor andtime, that would be involved in doing the same thing;- by the usual methods. Also the resulting work will he more secure.

It is believed that from the foregoing de 130 scription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, .the construction, operation and advantages of the invention Will be apparent. The right is reserved to make such changes in the form and proportion of the invention as, Will fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having describedl the invention, what is claimed is:

l. Anoutlet box support and means for positioning the same, including a metal supporting bar positioned transversely upon the ceiling latlis7 means for connecting the lighting fixture to said bar and means engageable With-said bar for inserting and positioning the bar.

2. An outlet box 4support and means for positioning the saine, including a metal suping fixture to said bar and means porting bar positioned transversely uponr the ceiling latlis, means for connecting the lightengageable with one end vof said bar for inserting and positioning` the bar.

3. 'An outlet box support and means for positioning the same, including a metal supporting bar positioned transversely upon the ceiling laths, means for connecting the lighting fixture to said bar anda combined holdino' and guiding tool for inserting and positionin'g the bar.

4. An outlet box support and means for positioning the same, including a metal sup- .positioning the same including a metal supbar positioned-transversely upon the porting ceiling latlis,means for connecting the lighting iixtures to said bar and means laterally engagea-ble with said bar for inserting and positioning the latter.

6. An outlet box support and means for positioning the same including al metal supporting bar positioned transversely upon the ceiling laths, means for connecting the lighting iixtnre to said bar, means for inserting and guiding the bai' within an opening and a flexible. element connected to the bar for positioning the latter Within the opening;

7. An outiet box support and means for positioning the same, including a metal sup- C porting bar positioned transversely upon the ceiling laths and having a transversely disposed slot therein, means for connecting the lighting fixture to said bar and means ngageabie with tlie transversely disposed slot for inserting the bar Within and opening.

In testimony whereof I atiix my signature.

JOHN A. VVEVER'. 

